Print Report
CEGL005014 Fagus grandifolia - Quercus spp. - Acer rubrum - Juglans nigra Floodplain Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: American Beech - Oak species - Red Maple - Black Walnut Floodplain Forest
Colloquial Name: Beech - Mixed Hardwood Floodplain Forest
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This beech - hardwoods floodplain forest community is found in the central United States and adjacent Canada. Stands occur on high terraces of small stream floodplains. Soils are well-drained and at least partially alluvial in origin, flooding only occasionally. The closed, deciduous tree canopy has a mixed set of species, with few dominants. Typical constants include Acer saccharum, Carya cordiformis, Celtis occidentalis, Fagus grandifolia, Fraxinus americana, Juglans nigra, Liriodendron tulipifera, Quercus rubra, Tilia americana, Ulmus americana, and Ulmus rubra among the more typical upland species, and Acer negundo, Acer rubrum, Acer saccharinum, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, and Platanus occidentalis among the more typical bottomland species. Perhaps the more dominant include Acer saccharum, Fagus grandifolia, Liriodendron tulipifera, Platanus occidentalis, and Ulmus americana. The tall shrubs, subcanopy trees, and vine species include Carpinus caroliniana, Hamamelis virginiana, Lindera benzoin, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, and Toxicodendron radicans. A wide variety of herbaceous species are found.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: This type can be difficult to distinguish from upland beech - maple forests or lower terrace floodplain forests. Vegetation will probably need to be linked to physical site characteristics in order to accurately identify the type, including features such as small stream terraces, presence of occasional, though not annual, flooding, and some alluvial material (Anderson 1996). Disturbed sites may often be more dominated by the wetter and more rapidly colonizing floodplain species, such as Acer saccharinum or Populus deltoides (Anderson 1996). A related mesic hardwood floodplain type with dominance of Acer and Carya rather than Fagus is the ~Acer saccharum - Carya cordiformis / Asimina triloba Floodplain Forest (CEGL005035)$$. Attribution of Ontario to this type may be stretching this type too far north. Ontario crosswalk may better fit with ~Acer saccharum - Fraxinus americana / Acer spicatum / Caulophyllum thalictroides Forest (CEGL006636)$$ and/or ~Acer saccharum - Tilia americana / Acer pensylvanicum / Caulophyllum thalictroides Forest (CEGL006637)$$. The distribution in central Indiana and western Ohio should be reviewed.
In West Virginia, 13 plots from the floodplain of the Meadow River in Greenbrier County are classified to this association. These stands are located in more elevated positions of a large wetland complex with adjacent forests in lower positions dominated by Quercus palustris or Acer saccharinum. Species with highest constancy and cover in plots include Fagus grandifolia, Acer saccharum, Carya cordiformis, Prunus serotina, Crataegus spp., Carpinus caroliniana, Lindera benzoin, Smilax rotundifolia, Thalictrum pubescens, and Cryptotaenia canadensis.
In West Virginia, 13 plots from the floodplain of the Meadow River in Greenbrier County are classified to this association. These stands are located in more elevated positions of a large wetland complex with adjacent forests in lower positions dominated by Quercus palustris or Acer saccharinum. Species with highest constancy and cover in plots include Fagus grandifolia, Acer saccharum, Carya cordiformis, Prunus serotina, Crataegus spp., Carpinus caroliniana, Lindera benzoin, Smilax rotundifolia, Thalictrum pubescens, and Cryptotaenia canadensis.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The closed, deciduous tree canopy has a mixed set of species, with few dominants. Typical constants include Acer saccharum, Carya cordiformis, Celtis occidentalis, Fagus grandifolia, Fraxinus americana, Juglans nigra, Liriodendron tulipifera, Quercus rubra, Tilia americana, Ulmus americana, and Ulmus rubra among the more typical upland species, and Acer negundo, Acer rubrum, Acer saccharinum, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, and Platanus occidentalis among the more typical bottomland species. Perhaps the more dominant include Acer saccharum, Fagus grandifolia, Liriodendron tulipifera, Platanus occidentalis, and Ulmus americana. The tall shrubs, subcanopy trees, and vine species include Carpinus caroliniana, Hamamelis virginiana, Lindera benzoin, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, and Toxicodendron radicans (Anderson 1996). A wide variety of mesic to wet-mesic herbaceous species are found, and Anderson (1996) presents a fairly comprehensive list. Species with highest constancy and cover in 13 West Virginia plots include Fagus grandifolia, Acer saccharum, Carya cordiformis, Prunus serotina, Crataegus spp., Carpinus caroliniana, Lindera benzoin, Smilax rotundifolia, Thalictrum pubescens, Cryptotaenia canadensis, Ranunculus hispidus var. nitidus, Impatiens spp., and Poa alsodes.
Dynamics: These forests experience periodic flooding.
Environmental Description: This community is found on high terraces of small stream floodplains. Soils are well-drained to moderately drained and at least partially alluvial in origin, flooding only occasionally (Anderson 1996). This community is most common in small, headwater valleys that flood for durations short enough to allow for persistence of mesic species. Downstream, this type can be found where the natural levee development is high enough to allow mesic species to persist. This type may then be surrounded on the river side by wetter floodplain types, and on the other side by backwater swamps (Putnam 1995, Anderson 1996).
Geographic Range: This beech - hardwoods floodplain forest community is found in the central United States and adjacent Canada, ranging from Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Ontario, east to West Virginia, Maryland and possibly Pennsylvania.
Nations: CA,US
States/Provinces: IN, KY, OH, ON, PA?, TN?, WV
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689083
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2G3
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1 Forest & Woodland Class | C01 | 1 |
| Subclass | 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass | S15 | 1.B |
| Formation | 1.B.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation | F026 | 1.B.3 |
| Division | 1.B.3.Na Eastern North American-Great Plains Flooded & Swamp Forest Division | D011 | 1.B.3.Na |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.3.Na.1 Silver Maple - American Sycamore - Hackberry species Floodplain Forest Macrogroup | M029 | 1.B.3.Na.1 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Na.1.a Silver Maple - Green Ash - American Sycamore Floodplain Forest Group | G652 | 1.B.3.Na.1.a |
| Alliance | A3711 Sugar Maple - Bitternut Hickory Mesic Floodplain Forest Alliance | A3711 | 1.B.3.Na.1.a |
| Association | CEGL005014 American Beech - Oak species - Red Maple - Black Walnut Floodplain Forest | CEGL005014 | 1.B.3.Na.1.a |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Fagus grandifolia - Acer saccharum / Lindera benzoin Floodplain Forest [Beech - Maple Floodplain Forest] (Vanderhorst 2015)
= Fagus grandifolia - Quercus spp. - Acer rubrum - Juglans nigra Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Beech - Sugar Maple - Muscletree Forest (Putnam 1995)
= Mixed Floodplain Forests (Anderson 1996)
= Fagus grandifolia - Quercus spp. - Acer rubrum - Juglans nigra Forest (Faber-Langendoen 2001)
= Beech - Sugar Maple - Muscletree Forest (Putnam 1995)
= Mixed Floodplain Forests (Anderson 1996)
- Anderson, D. M. 1996. The vegetation of Ohio: Two centuries of change. Draft. Ohio Biological Survey.
- Faber-Langendoen, D., editor. 2001. Plant communities of the Midwest: Classification in an ecological context. Association for Biodiversity Information, Arlington, VA. 61 pp. plus appendix (705 pp.).
- Harrison, J. W., compiler. 2004. Classification of vegetation communities of Maryland: First iteration. A subset of the International Classification of Ecological Communities: Terrestrial Vegetation of the United States, NatureServe. Maryland Natural Heritage Program, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis. 243 pp.
- Homoya, M. A., J. Aldrich, J. Bacone, L. Casebere, and T. Post. 1988. Indiana natural community classification. Indiana Natural Heritage Program, Indianapolis, IN. Unpublished manuscript.
- Lee, H., W. Bakowsky, J. Riley, J. Bowles, M. Puddister, P. Uhlig, and S. McMurray. 1998. Ecological land classification for southern Ontario: First approximation and its application. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Southcentral Science Section, Science Development and Transfer Branch. SCSS Field Guide FG-02.
- Midwestern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Minneapolis, MN.
- ONHIC [Ontario Natural Heritage Information Centre]. 2018. Unpublished data. Ontario Natural Heritage Information Centre, Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario, Canada.
- Putnam, N. 1995. Plant communities of the Meadow River wetlands. Final report submitted to the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. West Virginia Natural Heritage Program, Elkins, WV.
- Vanderhorst, J. 2015. Wild vegetation of West Virginia: Upland red spruce forests and woodlands. West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program. [http://wvdnr.gov/Wildlife/Factsheets/UplandRedSpruce.shtm]
- WVNHP [West Virginia Natural Heritage Program]. No date. Unpublished data. West Virginia Natural Heritage Program, Elkins.